Fuel pump left scorched after catching fire at North Shore petrol station
A fuel pump at an Auckland petrol station met a fiery end when it suddenly lit up while a member of the public was filling up tanks on their boat.
Firefighters were called to the Mobil petrol station on the corner of Northcote Rd and Sunnybrae Rd, in the early hours of Sunday, after a report of a fire.
The Waitemata Area Fire Service said crews from Takapuna and Birkenhead were called to the blaze, it said in a post on Facebook.
"A member of the public was filling tote tanks on a boat, which bumped the battery. This arched, causing ignition."
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"Crews managed to knock it down fast before it had a chance to spread to the roof and surrounding [fuel pumps]."
A St John spokeswoman said they were notified about a fire at the scene just after 6am that day. However, they were not required, she said.
Photographs show only the skeleton of a fuel pump - now completely scorched. The ceiling just above it is jet black and glass and debris are littered on the ground.
A Mobil spokesman said they would not be releasing CCTV footage of the incident.
Lead country manager Andrew McNaught said they were investigating the cause of the blaze.
"However, we can confirm that it was not caused by a malfunction or fault with the fuel dispenser."